ACTS 22

The late J. Vernon McGee told about a professor with a student in his class who seemed to be kind of a country bumpkin. When the professor found out that this young man believed the Bible, he thought he would have a little fun at his expense. In front of the whole class, he asked, "John, do you believe that God miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea and the Israelites crossed over on dry land?"

22:1–21 In speaking to a hostile Jewish audience, Paul uses OT imagery as he seeks to show that his message is not an abandonment of his Jewish heritage. He explains his message via his own encounter with Jesus. Compare 9:1–19.

22:22–29 Paul’s audience reacts violently to his speech, and the Roman commander seeks to learn why the Jewish people are so upset with Paul by using torture. Paul escapes flogging by calling attention to his Roman citizenship (see 16:37).

The late J. Vernon McGee told about a professor with a student in his class who seemed to be kind of a country bumpkin. When the professor found out that this young man believed the Bible, he thought he would have a little fun at his expense. In front of the whole class, he asked, "John, do you believe that God miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea and the Israelites crossed over on dry land?"

The late J. Vernon McGee told about a professor with a student in his class who seemed to be kind of a country bumpkin. When the professor found out that this young man believed the Bible, he thought he would have a little fun at his expense. In front of the whole class, he asked, "John, do you believe that God miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea and the Israelits crossed over on dry land?"

"I shore do, sir," came his countrified reply. He, of course, was talking about how Moses parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could cross it on dry land, after which the pursuing Egyptian army followed, only to be drowned when the waters came back together.

"Well," said the professor patronizingly, "suppose I tell you that it wasn't the Red Sea they crossed, but the 'Reed Sea,' and that it was no deeper than one foot all the way across? That's what the latest scholarship says. So, what do you have to say about THAT?"

The country bumpkin thought about it for a moment and then all of a sudden burst out laughing and said, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle; if that don't beat all! That's more of a miracle than I thought!"

Puzzled, the professor asked, "How's that?"

"That God could drown the whole Egyptian army in one foot of water must be one of the greatest miracles in the Bible!"

We need to foster a healthy attitude as much as possible regardless of others intentions.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN OUR TESTIMONY IS NECESSARY FOR others to know we have overcome also AND THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE WILL NEED TO DEFEND OUR FAITH. BOTH PLAY A BIG PART IN others salvation. PAUL OF COURSE GIVES US A some GREAT EXAMPLES

1.Talk in a way that can be respected and understood.

Gain identification with the people you are speaking by showing how you have so much in common.

2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

Acts22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

8 “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

Aramaic language The Greek term used here, hebrais, can refer in the NT to either Hebrew or Aramaic. Aramaic is probably meant here, since it was the more common spoken language at the time. Paul’s use of it demonstrates to those present that he is a Jew and respects their culture.

2.Our former life helps others to understand the need for and the depth of our change.

Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

When we are willing to confess our own failings people are more open to change in their lives.

10 “ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

3. Our encounter with Jesus and how he has redirected our path.

6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. 10 ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. 10 “ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. 12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

There is great power in your personal testimony if you will just share as a point of connection to others.

8 “ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

Paul knew that his testimony would carry special weight for those who knew his background well. Be sure that you give people enough transparent look into your own background that they will know you are speaking out of the way God has worked in your life.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

10 “ ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

4. What God has called us to do.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Paul seeks to explain his actions by setting them within the context of God’s calling and the revelation of his will (vv. 14–15, 18, 21). After a brief appeal to listen to his defence, he gives an account of his former life in Judaism (vv. 3–5), his encounter with the risen Jesus on the Damascus road (vv. 6–11), the role played by Ananias in the redirection of his life (vv. 12–16), and the vision of Jesus received later in the Jerusalem temple, confirming his call to preach to the Gentiles (vv. 17–21; cf. 7:55–56 [Stephen]).

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 “ ‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Believe that the Lord will allow one good message to provide open doors for others that will impact people of greater influence.

22:1–21 In speaking to a hostile Jewish audience, Paul uses OT imagery as he seeks to show that his message is not an abandonment of his Jewish heritage. He explains his message via his own encounter with Jesus. Compare 9:1–19.

22:22–29 Paul’s audience reacts violently to his speech, and the Roman commander seeks to learn why the Jewish people are so upset with Paul by using torture. Paul escapes flogging by calling attention to his Roman citizenship (see 16:37).

23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes, I am,” he answered.

28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

29 Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

I.A. Are you ever convicted?

Whether new to you or whether you relationship with Jesus has made many changes in your life, right now is an opportunity to increase the depth of the relationship and ability to share your own personal message. Give him more of you. BYO LOGO

I am going to slow down and spend more time with my family. I’m going exercise more and get back in shape. I’m going to eat healthier and give up the pop and junk food. I am going to spend more time in God’s Word. We all have good intentions to do good things for ourselves or others due to our convictions. The thing is we too often fail to put our conviction into action.

Whether new to you or whether you relationship with Jesus has made many changes in your life, right now is an opportunity to increase the depth of the relationship and ability to share your own personal message. Give him more of you. BYO LOGO

ACTS 22

Testimony amidst the turmoil